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Creative Getaways

October 11, 2010 by FaveCrafts

Am I sounding old fashioned?  Whatever happened to special nights with the kids? Turning off the TV and using our minds and creativity to entertain instead? It’s hard to imagine life now without an IPod in one pocket and a cell phone in the other. We seem to move from being in front of one computer screen to another without thinking twice. It has me thinking that maybe “mom” was right about holding  family nights where the entertainment was paper, glue, crayons, a hook, some yarn, and more.

Have you ever wanted to get to know your child better or find out what’s really going on in  his or her life? Reaching a child’s heart and mind is easily done when tapping into their creativity energy.

Set up a table to be your “Creative Getaway”. Remember it’s not about what you are creating. The moulding of play dough, meticulous stacking of popsicle sticks, choosing  colours,  the little dab of sparkles here and there are just side-effects to what’s really happening. This is creating a gateway to open communication as the parent and child express their own creativity; some of the best stories can be shared. Wonderful conversations occur as you are working side-by-side and you don’t even realize it at the moment that you are connecting. You’ve opened the door to communication that won’t close when you’ve completed the craft.

Remember, it’s not up to you to criticize the child’s project whatsoever.Instead, embrace their uniqueness and effort. Who cares if the child is painting a monkey pink! The child could be testing the parent’s imagination too and maybe colouring outside the lines is a form of art. This is a perfect opportunity to listen to the child’s stories and thoughts. Be sensitive to the child’s expression of individual creativity, as well as the information they are sharing.

Here’s a personal experience of mine. A child thought he was being bullied by a school teacher. The Creative Getaway approach of listening to child’s story helped remedy the situation when the child could see it from a different perspective. I asked the child what he would do if he was the teacher and he had to deal with his behaviour. What could he do to change that relationship? Explaining a point of view while at the Creative Table was neutral ground. A few months later, that same child ended up nominating this particular teacher to a  TV Station for ” Teacher of the year”. Hard to believe I know, but it works.

“Mom” used to say we had a “date” on Wednesday Nights. She knew what was going on in our lives and we, as children, didn’t realize we were the ones spilling our guts! We got things off our chest and we connected… all because of creativity!

Filed Under: Kids Crafts Projects Tagged With: children, crafting, Creative, Getaways, Kids Crafts, mom, Sewing, wearable crafts

How to Make a Pillow for Mom

April 21, 2010 by FaveCrafts

Learning how to make a pillow is a great idea for Mother’s Day. Pillow crafts are quick, easy and make perfect homemade gifts. You can practice your new skills in crochet, knitting or sewing by learning how to make a pillow from scratch, or embellish a pillow with beads, buttons, fabric paints and other materials. You can also personalize the pillow for your Mom’s tastes.

How to Make a Pillow from Scratch

Learning how to make a pillow from scratch is quite simple. You will need two identical squares or rectangles of fabric, stuffing and a needle and thread. A sewing machine is helpful but not required, especially if you are making a small pillow. You can purchase the fabric or you can knit or crochet the fabric yourself.

  • Instead of purchasing pillow stuffing at the store, make your own stuffing from materials around the house. Use leftover fabric scraps, cut into small pieces, or cut old pantyhose or socks into rings and use for stuffing.
  • Make a therapeutic pillow filled with rice or buckwheat. These pillows can be warmed in the microwave and used on the neck, feet or hands.
  • To save money, purchase fabric remnants for your pillow craft. You will not need a lot of fabric.
  • Instead of purchasing a fancy print fabric, purchase a small amount of plain white fabric or canvas and embellish with fabric paint. You can stamp, stencil or even use a rolling pin with glued cardboard shapes to create a repeating design on your fabric.

Here is how to sew a pillow from scratch: Place the two pieces of fabric right sides together (the sides that will show). Sew with a ¼ inch seam allowance all the way around, leaving a small gap for stuffing. Turn inside out, stuff and stitch the gap closed.

Pocket Pillows

Sentimental Shirt to Pillow

How to crochet a pillow from scratch: If you are not using a pillow form, you will need a tight crochet stitch for your pillow so that the stuffing does not show. Use single crochet to create a tight, sturdy material. Many crochet patterns will have you create a decorative side edge, such as with a picot stitch or lace stitch.

Easy Patio Pillows

Crochet Kneeling Garden Cushion

How to knit a pillow from scratch: Like with crochet, you will want to use a tight stitch for your pillow squares. Stripes are a popular motif in knit pillow patterns. A knitting loom can make knitting a pillow quick and easy.

Loom Pattern: Stripe Floor Pillow Cover

Houndstooth Knit Pillow

After you crochet or knit your two pillow squares, you could felt the material to create a soft and sturdy material. Felting erases any imperfections. Remember that felting will shrink the squares so you will need to make then bigger to start. You will also need to use a wool yarn appropriate  for felting.

Check back next week for easier crafts: How to make a Pillow Cover, starting with a pillow form, and How to Make a Pillow with Embellishments, starting with a pillow blank.

Don’t forget to check out 32 Pillow Making Crafts.

Filed Under: Mother's Day Tagged With: Crochet, Knitting, mom, pillows, Sewing

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Full Project Tutorials

Earth Week on FaveCrafts Blog

Ultimate Green Crafting Guide: 201 Recycled Craft Ideas

Today is Earth Day, and it also marks the beginning of Earth Week on the FaveCrafts blog! To celebrate this eco-friendly holiday and kick off our special green crafting week, we’re giving you a comprehensive guide to all the best recycled craft ideas we have. From CDs to wine bottles to crayons, you can recycle […]

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Free eBooks

Paper Crafts for Kids: 10 Paper Toys, Printable Paper Dolls, and Other Kids Craft Ideas

Keep the Kids Entertained with 10 Paper Crafts for Kids!

Hey paper crafters! You may be avid card makers and scrapbookers, but when it comes to your paper crafts, you want the kids far, far away. Merge your … [Read More...]

Seasonal Crafts

New Pattern Monday: Pretty Little Things

The countdown to Mother's Day begins! In just under a week you can surprise your mom with fun handmade gifts that will just melt her heart. If you … [Read More...]

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